Monaco Market, the Albuquerque retailer known for stocking viral snacks from around the globe, is preparing to open a new store on the city's Westside at 6010 Coors Blvd. NW, Unit 2. The planned location would mark the business's expansion beyond its Wyoming Boulevard shop.
According to Albuquerque Business First, Monaco Market plans to open the new store in the former Catalyst Coffee Co. space, leasing 1,350 square feet for the project. The outlet reports the company expects the new location to create four to six jobs. Monaco Market's own website confirms the address is in the works, listing the Coors Boulevard spot as coming soon on its store locator.
The addition of ramen and a boba bar builds on groundwork already laid at the company's existing store. KRQE News 13 reported ahead of the Westside announcement that Monaco Market was set to open a ramen bar soon, suggesting the noodle offering has been in the pipeline for some time. The business already runs a self-serve noodle bar at its original location, alongside shelves of imported drinks and snacks, as detailed by the station's report.
From Dorm-Room Idea to Statewide Snack Destination
Monaco Market's rise has been tied closely to its founder's eye for what is trending online. The University of New Mexico alumnus Munji Kahalah is described as the creative force behind the business, which UNM's newsroom calls New Mexico's largest exotic snack store. Kahalah has said much of the inventory comes from watching what is blowing up on social media in bigger cities, a strategy that has turned a niche hobby into a statewide retail footprint.
The Daily Lobo's coverage of the business describes shelves stocked with foreign Red Bulls, South Korean juice pouches, Ramune soda, Dubai chocolate and Buldak Noodles, alongside the self-serve noodle bar. Per the same account, Monaco Market has also started importing products from the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, expanding beyond its original focus on Asian snacks. New items are restocked every 10 to 12 days, the student newspaper reported, keeping the inventory in step with whatever is currently circulating on social feeds.
Conflicting Details on the Original Store
Monaco Market's existing location sits at 4400 Wyoming Blvd. NE, though sources differ on the exact suite. UNM's newsroom lists the address as Suite C, while KRQE has reported it as Suite C & D. UNM's newsroom reported the store is open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
A Growing Appetite for Ramen and Boba Mashups
Monaco Market's push into ramen and boba fits a broader pattern taking shape around the Albuquerque metro. In Rio Rancho, Boba Catch pairs Korean Shin Ramyun ramen with customizable boba tea and claw machines in a family-friendly arcade setting, according to the Albuquerque Journal. The Boba Lounge, a tea chain, was also reported to be opening a fourth New Mexico location in Albuquerque's San Pedro Plaza earlier this year, per Albuquerque Business First's coverage of that expansion.
Other recent additions reflect the same hunger for Asian-inspired concepts on the city's edges. Ma's Tea House in Albuquerque's Paradise Hills area serves boba teas and snacks and even offers fresh pho once a month during the winter, the Albuquerque Journal has reported. The Westside has also drawn other niche food concepts, including a Japanese brunch spot featuring soufflé pancakes that was in the works there earlier this year, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
